USACE Suspends Dredging at Oceanside Harbor
The USACE has announced that dredging at Oceanside Harbor will be suspended until July 5 to accommodate beachgoers celebrating the July Fourth holiday and because of the adverse effects of anticipated wave action on dredging operations.
“We know Oceanside beach is a popular gathering place for families and friends to celebrate over the Fourth of July holiday; it makes sense for us to temporarily halt construction then,” said Col. Kirk Gibbs, commander of the USACE’s Los Angeles District.
“We’re also aware that the marine forecast for the next several days predicts seas that exceed the contractor’s ability to safely operate in those conditions.”
The navigational maintenance dredging project, awarded May 6 as a one-year, $5 million contract to CJW Construction, calls for the removal of 260,000 cubic yards of material from the federal navigation channels in Oceanside Harbor.
The purpose of the dredging is to maintain the harbor at its authorized federal depth of -25 feet in the entrance channel and to provide safe navigation for the recreational boats and commercial and military vessels that use the channels.
The project authorizes the beneficial reuse of the dredged material by placing it along the beach from the outlet of the San Luis Rey River to a point south of the Oceanside pier. The material will help replenish and maintain the shoreline that annually loses sand to winter weather and wave action.
Weather delays may impact the contractor’s ability to complete the Oceanside dredging project by the original August 2 completion date.
